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Here’s what Kirk was voting on as Palin prepared to take the stage for her denunciation of Chicago politicians, illegal immigrants and the Highland Park High School administration:

At 6:34 p.m., Eastern time, the House began debate on a resolution “to support stabilization and lasting peace in northern Uganda and areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army through development of a regional strategy to support multilateral efforts to successfully protect civilians and eliminate the threat posed by the Lord’s Resistance Army and to authorize funds for humanitarian relief and reconstruction, reconciliation, and transitional justice, and for other purposes.”

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Passed.

At 7:03 p.m., the House began a debate on a resolution “recognizing the close friendship and historical ties between the United Kingdom and the United States.”

Passed.

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At 7:34 p.m., the House wrapped up its evening with a resolution “commending the progress made by anti-tuberculosis programs.”

Passed -- but after a tempestuous nine minutes of debate!

To be fair, the House had meatier business earlier in the day, voting on amendments to the America Competes Reauthorization Act, which funds research on nanotechnology, high-energy physics and fusion energy. But even if Mark Kirk had nothing to do in Washington but support lasting peace in Uganda, he would have been there.

Kirk should be glad he wasn’t at the Rosemont Theatre. Palin didn’t call him out by name -- but the crowd did.

“Some Republicans apparently thought they’d have to move to the middle to win,” Palin said, in a condemnation of moderate Republicans. “I said, ‘No, no, no, no, no. You win by letting the middle move to you. You let the folks in the middle of the road know that your ideas are the right ones.’”

Palin then used the terms “Republicans In Name Only” and “RINOs.”

“Mark Kirk!” a member of the crowd shouted.

Palin’s strategy didn’t work in Illinois. The McCain/Palin ticket lost here by 1.4 million votes.

So yeah, Mark Kirk made the right decision. He was better off listening to a nine-minute debate on tuberculosis than listening to 40 minutes of Sarah Palin.

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Published at 10:11 AM CDT on May 13, 2010 | Updated at 11:14 AM CDT on May 13, 2010